Our Fallen Angel
by SummerLeanne
Summary: The life of a vampire isn't always filled with pleasant memories and joyful feelings. There are some compromises to be made, but at what cost? How much is Bella willing to risk just to do the right thing? Please Review
1. Lost and Found

_**So many painful memories rushed through my mind. The invisible tears were impossible to choke back. While I ran through the thick underbrush, I felt as though I had begun to lose my mind. Imagine that…the first insane vampire. Edward was right behind me, trying his best to keep up with my frantic pace. He was determined not to let me out of his sight. He had been right about the entire situation since day one, but my stubbornness blinded me when he tried to warn against what I was agreeing to. Everyone tried to warn me. I suddenly heard a thundering growl that came from a mile away. I hastened my steps. Edward was at my heels now. Oh God, what have I done?**_

{The First Day}

I peeped into Renesmee's bedroom to check up on her.

I opened the door only to find several of her textbooks strewn over her bed and purple floor mat, but no Renesmee was in sight. The window was left open, which allowed a gust of wind to scatter her notes across the corners of her room.

Everything was such a mess, but then I tried to remember that my responsibilities were equally as unimportant to me when I was her age.

I took a few minutes to straighten up her room for our little sweetheart.

I knew where she had run off to, but I wanted to get Edward's confirmation on it, "Edward," I called to him as I folded some of Renesmee's clothes that were piled on top of her desk, "where has Nessie run off to?"

I had also noticed that she had been taking extra time away from her homework to "hang out." I shook my head sadly.

Even after sixteen years of parenting, I still couldn't handle Nessie's adventurous spirit at times. She's half-vampire, but I at least wanted her to give a little focus to high school academics.

Edward hadn't responded yet, so I pushed the remaining clothes into the tall white dresser and walked into our quaint cottage's living room.

Edward was seated reading the newspaper casually while Muse played softly On the small stereo we kept in the corner by the window.

I was amazed how much he emulated Carlisle that very moment. It brought me happiness just to stare at him.

I shook myself out of the daze and got back to the question, "Edward? Where's Renesmee?"

Edward shifted in his seat, but his expression remained calm. He was making a rather good attempt to act nonchalant to the question. I smiled and forced myself not to laugh. It was funny how protective he was over our daughter. He had to be the best dad in the world, in my humble opinion of course.

Edward warmly smiled at me, "She mentioned spending some time with Jacob and the wolf pack."

I sighed and went to sit next to him. He set down the newspaper and wrapped me in his arms. He kissed me on the forehead, "I think we need to start giving her some chores."

I playfully scoffed at the thought, "Is that really a punishment for any vampire? She'll have the house cleaned in ten minutes, but for some reason, her room is always messy."

Edward chuckled and lifted my chin so that his eyes would meet mine, "She is still half human, love, and normal human teenagers act like this, only I hear they're worse."

I rested my head on his stone chest, "I do keep that in mind. I'm just afraid that she's getting a little too obsessed with Jacob. This werewolf imprinting thing must be really strong."

I felt Edward tense a little.

Whoops, guess I went a little too far that time. He had never truly warmed up the idea as yet. In Edward's eyes, Renesmee was still a little girl who wasn't ready for "werewolf love."

I craned my neck upwards to give him a long kiss on the cheek, "I'm sorry. Didn't mean to bring that up. I know you don't like that topic too much."

Edward nodded and pulled me into a closer embrace, "It's fine, Bella. It is what it is. No need to apologize."

I laughed and beamed a smile at him, "It's a good thing we don't have more than one kid to raise."

Edward laughed along with me, "I don't think either of us would be able to handle this parenting thing more than once."

I glanced out the window after hearing thunder roll from about ten miles off, "Uh oh. It's going to rain in a while."

Edward furrowed his eyebrows, "So?"

"Well, I wanted to go hunting today."

Edward shook his head, "No, you mean you NEED to go hunting today. Bella, you haven't been in more than a week."

Edward rose to his feet and offered me his hand, "Let's get going if we want to catch anything before the storm arrives."

I unconsciously took his hand and stood next to him, "But what about Nessie? Won't she wonder where we've gone?"

Edward rolled his eyes and brushed back my hair gently with his hand, "She'll know. You're so selfless that you're willing to make yourself thirst just because Renesmee isn't back yet. Let's get going. You need to hunt."

I looked into his bright, loving eyes and smirked. Sometimes I was so happy that he couldn't read my mind on his own.

In an instant, I tapped his shoulder and ran out the front door of our cottage in roaring laughter, "Catch me if you can!"

Edward shook off his surprise and bolted after me, "We'll see about that, darling!"

I looked over my shoulder to see where he was behind me. He was just a few feet away from me. I sped up, laughing, "I bet I can take down a herd of deer before you catch me!" "I wager that I can catch you before you take down anything!"

We ran and laughed in amusement; it was the most fun I had in a while. I managed to evade Edward in a denser part of the forest, so I had just enough time to win my side of the bet.

When I was through, Edward silently snuck up behind me.

I gasped. In less than a second he grabbed me into his arms and spun me around. I laughed till it seemed impossible for me to laugh any longer. Together, we jumped into a huge pile of leaves.

It seemed like it was raining leaves instead of water, until a minute later. Raindrops began to fall hard and fast, so Edward and I ran for shelter as quickly as we could.

We didn't mind the storm. In fact, it was quite refreshing to smell the rain and feel it hit my icy skin.

Our home was in sight, but I heard something that made me stop abruptly. Edward, who was just as drenched as me, turned around and stared at me. We were still holding hands.

He grabbed me around the waist. His eyes narrowed, "Bella, what's wrong?" He looked at me with frustration and concern. I frowned, "You didn't hear that?" "Yes, I did," he assured me, "I'm sure it's just a hiker who's calling out to his friend or something like that. It's none of our business, Bella."

"No," I insisted, struggling to tug free from his grip, "It sounded like someone was screaming for help."

Edward reached out to grab my arm, "It is none of our concern, Bella. We're vampires. We can't do anything about it. We must stay away from humans in the forest. You know that. We need to get home."

I gazed in the direction of the desperate cry, and then looked back at Edward.

My eyes filled with worry as I stood in silence for what seemed like an eternity, "Edward," I took his face in my damp hands, "Please. We won't go too close. I just want to see where the call came from."

He scanned every inch of my face. He took both of my hands in his, staring at the ground, "Okay, but you and I must stay together. I am not letting you out of my sight."

I was not about to protest, since I could tell that he wasn't happy about this at all. He pulled me near to his side and we ran north. I did not understand why I was so drawn to this stranger.

To be honest, the fact that I was irreversibly intrigued with a person that I couldn't even see scared me. Edward's presence, however, helped me keep my calm as we came closer.

I feared the worst because the yelling had stopped. I urged Edward to run a little faster, and he reluctantly obeyed my wish.

I knew that I would have to find a way to make it up to him later. I hated seeing him so upset when he was only trying to protect me.

The yelling stopped but, as we approached, we heard someone moaning in pain just beyond a cluster of trees that was before us.

We slowed our pace and noiselessly tiptoed through the mud. Our clothes were hopelessly snagged and stained, but that was the least of my worries at the present.

We were about ten feet away when an overwhelming scent of human blood permeated the air around us. As if this situation in general wasn't odd enough, the fresh smell barely bothered me.

However, in Edward's case, it was almost unnerving. He covered his mouth and nose with his hand; his expression was pained. He glared at me briefly, and then sealed his eyes shut for a second.

I touched my hand to his chest and whispered in his ear, "Edward, I can handle myself."

He looked at me in horror, "No." He managed to choke out from behind his hand, "I will not leave you alone here."

"Edward, you need to go," I pleaded profusely, "Please Edward; the smell has no effect on me. I can handle myself and you know it. Just go and make sure that Renesmee is alright. I will meet you back at home."

Edward refused, as expected, "I will stand a few feet off, but I am not leaving you."

"Okay, okay, but don't put yourself into danger on my account, Edward. I love you too much for you to do that."

He unwillingly let go of my hand and hid himself behind a tree at a safe distance.

I took a minute to gather my confidence. Whatever was behind those trees was not about to scare me away. I lithely pushed away the leaves, vines, and branches that hung down in my face.

I maneuvered around the numerous tree trunks until I reached a bright, grassy clearing. I stood in the shadows while I examined my surroundings. The victim who I sought after was lying motionless in the middle of the field under a patch of glistening sunlight.

My mouth hung agape and my expression saddened.

The victim was a young teenage boy, who looked like he was about fifteen years old. The boy was dressed in khaki hiking shorts with a green t-shirt, both of which were practically covered in blood.

I heard his shallow breathing, so I knew he was still alive, but he was not alone. Not far off laid two other motionless bodies, a man and a woman, but neither of them were breathing, and both were mauled even worse than the boy.

I quickly suspected that those were the boy's parents. I didn't see or hear anyone else around besides Edward, who was anxiously waiting for me to come back.

I wasted no more time because I feared that I would lose the boy's life if I delayed another second. I had no clue why I was so attached to him already.

It truly puzzled me. I thought perhaps it was because I am a shield, so it is my instinct to protect. He was unconscious, but his heart was still beating at a fast rate.

I didn't know too much medical science, but I did know that if the heart beats too fast for an extended period of time, the results could be fatal.

I checked to see where his wounds were so that I could stop the bleeding. There were scratches all over his body, but there were two deep wounds that were bleeding uncontrollably.

"It's a good thing I wore a tank top beneath my shirt today," I thought to myself. I pulled off my blue shirt and ripped it in two.

The first wound was on the rightmost side of his chest. It was important to stop the bleeding there, since it was closest to his heart. The second wound was located on his left thigh. I tried my best to stop as much of his bleeding as possible, but, when his breath became even more shallow and his heart pounded faster than before, I knew that he was going to need Carlisle's care.

I began to panic; in my heart I knew that I couldn't risk losing this boy. I needed to save him at almost any cost.

Unexpectedly, I felt a hand touch my shoulder. I spun around to see who it was. Edward was standing right behind me with a solemn look on his face.

My eyes widened, "Edward, what are you doing? Get out of here. It's not safe!"

Edward didn't take his eyes off the boy. I was afraid his instinct would make him do something that he would soon regret in the future, but there was nothing I could do about it, and I was determined not to leave the boy to die alone there.

I opened my mouth to speak, but Edward beat me to it, "We must get him some help quickly," he whispered almost inaudibly.

I nodded in agreement, "I'm going to take him to Carlisle."

"Bella, love," he looked at me sweetly, "It's not our place to give him personal medical treatment, and where will Carlisle care for him? Only he can effortlessly resist human blood, so we cannot take this child to the house."

I smoothed back the boy's wavy blonde hair. I forced myself to snap out of it, though; I had only known him for five minutes, yet I was already mothering him.

I placed my hand back in my lap, "We don't have time to take him to the hospital, Edward. They will not know how to save him. Carlisle will think of something instantly. I need you to go get him for me. The boy can't stay here alone."

Edward tightened his lips, "Carlisle will not just turn anyone into a vampire in order to save them, Bella, and he doesn't have the time to look after a newborn vampire. His days of 'saving' are over. Let him die here in peace as his parents have."

"No!" I almost shouted at the top of my lungs. It felt so wrong to argue with Edward about this, but my heart was compelling me to save the boy.

Edward was unmoved in his decision to leave the boy in the clearing, but I wouldn't hear of it. I couldn't. I felt as though I would rather kill myself than leave him here.

The precious time was ticking away; every second, the boy came closer to death.

Edward tried to maintain his composure, "We aren't like Carlisle and Esme, Bella! We can't take in our own vampire children and care for them. We already have a child of our own at home. What about her? We will put her life in danger if we take this boy with us!"

Edward could tell his reasoning was swaying my resolve, "Renesmee is our responsibility, Bella. This boy is not our concern," he pointed to the lifeless couple who lay at the corner of the field, "His parents were mauled by the same bear, no doubt. Maybe this is fate. Leave him be and let's go."

Edward stretched out his hand to me.

I froze in my place on the ground.

I felt as though I could not budge one inch away from the blonde boy. I looked at his face one last time. Just like his clothes, it was smeared with his blood.

All I could think about was his future and his potential. "What if he were in my position?" I wondered helplessly.

What would happen if I did make an effort to save him? Why did I want to save him in the first place? I knew that I would live in agony if I let an innocent child die at my hands.

I bit my lip, confused and aggravated. Was Edward right? Would saving the boy endanger our entire family, especially Renesmee? In the midst of all these thoughts, instinct took over my reasoning.

I swiftly grabbed the boy in my arms and bounded away to Carlisle, leaving Edward staring at me in utter shock and disappointment.


	2. Saving a Stranger

The time seemed to fly by faster than I was able to run. I could not believe that I just up and left Edward, totally ignoring his reprimands.

"It was all rather cruel of me, but my intentions are for the best." I told myself, trying to lift my own spirits.

Maybe this was how Carlisle felt when he rescued Edward and Rosalie. In both their cases, Carlisle had to make a decision on whether or not they were to live or die, right?

Well, this situation was no different. I knew that I had to be doing something right by taking responsibility over the boy's life.

I felt like I was positively sure I knew what I was doing.

I briefly looked down at the boy's face. I very much wanted to know his name, just in case I was too late. That wasn't a thought I wanted to entertain at the moment, though.

He looked as old as Renesmee; I envisioned how I would have felt if Renesmee, my own flesh and blood, were in his situation.

I forgot the idea entirely, because it made me feel even more wretched.

In a way, I was thankful the boy's parents didn't live to see this agony, since I know they would've been torn apart.

All that remained now was what Carlisle would decide to do with him. Obviously, I had my own agenda, but Carlisle would need to agree with it first.

I came to a stop when I saw the Cullens' beautiful, familiar home sitting a half-mile away from where I stood.

I was in a pickle because I couldn't simply leave the boy alone while he was severely injured. But I also couldn't take him to the house since that would be too overbearing of a temptation for my family.

"Don't worry about it, dearest," Edward reassured me. I spun around on my heels and greeted him with a sigh of relief.

He was running at an uncommonly slow rate, and he was still visibly annoyed; I couldn't tell if his emotions were directed at me or the smell of the blood.

He momentarily stopped by my side, "I'm going to get Carlisle for you."

"Thanks, Edward." I winked at him, "I owe you big time."

He barely smiled back, "You're my beloved wife. You owe me absolutely nothing."

I knew he wasn't in any way condoning what I was doing, but I had come so far already, so it was impossible to turn back now.

Mere curiosity had turned into a serious commitment to a stranger who didn't even know I existed.

I searched around for a soft spot to lay the boy down. The only place soft enough was a small patch of dead leaves that surrounded two nearby trees.

The pile was damp and muddy, but it was all I had to offer. I cautiously put him down and watched as Edward approached the front door.

Alice opened the door before Edward knocked; she was clearly troubled. Apparently, she was paying close attention to my future, because, before Edward could explain, Carlisle came running in my direction with his medical bag in hand.

I was thankful that no long explanation took up the short amount of time we had. It was a stressful race against the clock. I stayed on my knees next to the boy until Carlisle came nearer.

I stood to greet him, "Did Alice tell you everything, Carlisle?"

He smiled at me for a brief second, "Yes, sweetheart, she did. I think it was very noble of you to bring him here. Although I can only do so much, he would probably not have survived a trip to the ER, so you made a wise choice."

My confidence began to build when Carlisle seemed satisfied with me asking for his help.

While I stood watching him examine the boy's deep wounds, my mind devised a plan to push my agenda forward. I didn't know why I was thinking like this; it seemed so darn odd. Was something wrong with me? I was treating this kid with a high amount of respect.

I wondered if all shields would react like I did to this situation, or was it just me. There was something so angelic about him. He continually reminded me of Renesmee.

I was seventy-five percent convinced that finding him was not a complete accident. I watched Carlisle inject something into the boy's skin.

He elevated the boy's wounded leg using a small pillow in order to stop some of the bleeding. He cleaned both wounds thoroughly before applying stitches.

It was an agonizing fifteen minutes, but Carlisle successfully took care of the two gaping avulsions. The boy was still covered in small scratches, but most of them had stopped bleeding.

Carlisle bandaged the few that were still trying to heal. However, when he cleaned and put away his medical tools, Carlisle did not look satisfied. I understood why. The patient was still unconscious.

I stared at Carlisle, hoping to find an answer.

He rose to his feet and somberly looked me in the eyes, "Bella, he's dreadfully in need of some blood. Since he's still unconscious, I believe he lost quite a bit of blood since the time of his injury. Alice saw that the wounds were bad, but not this bad, so I'm not prepared to take care of that problem. I don't know how long he'll survive."

My jaw dropped in disbelief, "You can't be serious, Carlisle. He's a kid; he's as old as Renesmee. He has an entire future ahead of him. You've got to do something to help him stay alive."

He put his arm around my shoulders in an effort to soothe me the way only doctors knew how, "None of us have blood to donate, Bella, and, as I said before, he won't last the half-hour trip to the ER. I'm terribly sorry, sweetheart, but I've done all that I can."

I was about ready to give up till I remembered my proposition. "Carlisle," my face lit up with sudden hope, "you haven't tried everything just yet."

Carlisle knew where I was going with this.

His eyebrows furrowed and his lips tightened into a hard line, "Bella, that's a risky ordeal. Edward is the youngest patient I've ever changed, and he was seventeen. This boy looks like he's only fifteen. That is still a fairly young age for a vampire, and what's worse is that you will not be able to keep him around Renesmee for a while. It will all depend on how he acts as a vampire. You know how extreme the average newborn bloodlust is, because you witnessed it firsthand with Victoria. Also, we have no clue what he's like. If he's a rebellious human teenager, his tendency to rebel will only heighten if he becomes a vampire."

Carlisle made a good argument, but I was still not convinced, "Carlisle, with all due respect, you didn't know any of your patients personally either, not even Esme, yet look how they turned out. Now, they're our devoted family who detest drinking human blood."

"Yes," he nodded in affirmation, "but Edward, who is the youngest, was still two years older than him."

I knelt down and gazed at the unconscious, nameless boy who I simply couldn't lose.

"Age doesn't determine maturity," I whispered softly, "Some people will never grow up, and some people will never need to grow up."

Carlisle clearly heard the earnest in my words, "Which category do you think he will fit into, Bella?" He inquired gently.

I wasted no time in answering him, because something made me feel as though I had this boy all sorted out, "I believe that he will never need to grow up; I can tell he is mature enough. I just know it. Call it a mother's intuition."

Carlisle crossed his arms. He was at a crossroad now. He remembered when he changed Edward, and how determined he was to let him live.

He was never this determined, though; he had doubts in the beginning. Slowly, I encouraging was him to make the boy immortal, but one obstacle remained.

Carlisle rested his hand on my back, "If I change him, Bella, you won't be able to keep him."

I paused for a moment, incessantly staring at the child.

I did want to keep him with me, but I understood that Renesmee would seem like lunch to him until he became accustomed to the "vegetarian" diet, unless he would turn out to be a peculiar vampire like me.

Human blood really never tempted me at all. Either way, I secretly promised myself to find a way to keep him close. I couldn't recall wanting anything so badly ever since I had become a vamp. This obviously wasn't vampire mating; it was more like vampire fostering. Certainly nothing bad could come from such an innocent desire.

"Bella?" Carlisle's voice pulled me out of my daydreaming, "We don't have much time," he urged, "You need to make a decision now, but you must understand that you won't be able to keep him for the first year or perchance longer."

If anything, I knew that I was adamant in my resolution, "Yes, Carlisle. Please, let's do it on one condition. I want to change him."

Carlisle was stunned, "I don't know. You've never tasted human blood, honey. You may not be able to stop, and his blood supply is low enough as it is."

"Carlisle, I am shield, right? Please trust that I wouldn't want to kill the very thing my instinct is telling me to protect."

Carlisle gave up his fight. He could see that there was no use reasoning with me any longer.

"Alright," he smiled kindly, "I will get Edward and the rest to come outside for a little while. We need to burn his bloodstained clothes before you inject your venom, so that there will be no scent of blood."

Carlisle left to tell the others. He came back in less than a minute, "We need to get moving quickly, dear; we're losing him fast."

He lifted the boy into his arms while I grabbed his medical bag. We sped into the house and up the stairs to Carlisle's study.

Carlisle laid the boy on the sofa and propped him up using two pillows, "I will get him a change of clothes. It looks like Jasper's size will do for him."

He came back with a blue button-up shirt and loose fitting capris in his hands.

I left the room and let Carlisle do his duties in peace. He came and got me when he was finished, "Are you ready, Bella?"

I had no words to say. I simply nodded.

Carlisle led me by the hand to the boy, "I'll stay with you until you've done what you need to do."

I gave Carlisle's hand a grateful squeeze.

I swept the boy's lovely, wavy blonde hair away from the side of his neck. I trembled slightly as I lowered my head. My lips touched his warm, soft skin.

I sunk my teeth into his flesh. I pierced through his neck with ease. His thick red blood seeped onto my lips and tongue.

It was the most divine thing I had ever tasted, and I soon found myself in a predicament because of it. I was rapidly losing focus on what I was doing. My protective instinct over the child was diminishing as well.

Thankfully, gracious Carlisle was there to set me at ease again. I felt his smooth hand touch my arm.

I regained my sense and immediately pulled myself away from the shuddering boy. His body writhed in searing pain as my venom burned through his veins.

Carlisle seized me in a comforting embrace. He stroked back my hair, "You did it," he murmured melodiously. I was partly relieved, but the worst wasn't over yet. My daring commitment had just begun. The deal was sealed. He was my son now.


	3. Impossibilities

Carlisle offered to stay with the boy while I went to find Nessie and tell her the news. I was nervous though because I was uncertain as to how she would take the sudden blow. Shoe could understand many things, but this circumstance seemed particularly vague. Even I didn't fully comprehend the nature of my emotions for the newfound child. Carlisle understood a little only because he had been in similar emergencies. I trudged down the stairs at a human pace, but stopped on the last step. There was Renesmee standing right in front of me.

"Mom?" Her naturally delicate voice sounded apprehensive.

I looked at her for a moment. She had so much of her father in her. True, her hair and build were akin to my own, yet she had Edward's compassion and usual grace.

That, however, made me worry all the more. Since she emulated her father's spirit, then would she respond with the same disapproval as he did?

Nessie reached for my hand, "Mom, what's gotten into you? You look as though you've seen a ghost."

I glimpsed at her ample golden eyes and smiled pleasantly, "Yes, yes sweetheart, I'm fine."

Nessie giggled, "Thank goodness! I thought you were about to go into hysterics or something."

I laughed briefly to keep the mood calm, "Were you with Jake?"

She nodded happily, "Yup. It was so awkward when dad came and got me."

I sat down on the stairs. Renesmee took a seat next to me.

I put one arm around her, "So," I began, swaying her gently like I used to when she was little, "Has daddy told you the story yet?"

"No, he didn't, but I'm eager to hear it."

She examined my face and frowned, clearly displeased, "Mom, you shouldn't be so stressed. You always tell me that I can freely tell you anything. Doesn't the inverse of that rule count, too?"

I ran my hand through her silky pin-straight hair, "You know, you're much too smart sometimes. I think you need to dumb down a little."

Nessie playfully pushed away my hand. I tickled her under the chin, "That was a compliment, dearest."

"Mom?"

"Yes?" I answered.

"You're running away from the topic." She warned. I chuckled nervously, "Right. Well sweetpea, something wonderful has happened."

I explained how I found the boy in the forest. Renesmee sat as still as a rock during my lengthy recollection. Her expression was austere and somber and tranquil. She wasn't frowning, but she wasn't smiling either. I refrained from asking her any questions until I finished my explanation. I mentally crossed my fingers, hoping she wouldn't take this situation the wrong way.

A long paused followed. I was the first to speak, "Nessie, darling, please tell me something. Anything. Why do you look so…" I searched for an appropriate word, "lifeless?"

She shifted her gaze to her feet but remained silent.

I leaned over to hug her but she pulled away quickly. I was astounded. I gawked at her in disbelief. She had never treated me in such a disrespectful manner.

My heart sank to the pit of my stomach.

Renesmee shot a glare at me, "Don't look like that, mom. You expect me to be okay with this after it's hit me like a bullet in the chest? There's a possibility that the kid may want to kill me, but you make excuses to protect him!"

She bared her teeth in disgust. Everyone began gathering at the bottom of the stair case to see what all the fuss was about. Jasper tried to calm the mood, but I fought back; I wasn't about to let Renesmee hate me over this, so I let my anger get the best of me. Renesmee stomped her way to the door. Although Edward tried to persuade her to stay, she paid no attention to him.

With one hand on the doorknob, Nessie cast a slight glance over her shoulder, "I'd sooner join the Volturi than watch that mysterious boy become my parents' obsession."

She threw open the door, causing it to slam into the wall with great force. Pieces of shattered Glass flew across the pristine foyer.

"Nessie!" I called out as she escaped the house.

I ran after her, "Nessie! Ness—Renesmee Carlie Cullen, come back right now and apologize!"

Before I could say any more, she had disappeared into the forest. I dug my heels into the dirt and covered my face with my hands. Edward approached me slowly. Neither of us knew what to say on the topic. He embraced me from behind, clinging to me securely.

Nothing, however, could ease my pain at the moment, not even my affectionate Edward. I turned around and buried my face in his chest. He smoothed back my hair. I wrapped my arms around his neck.

Renesmee's voice echoed through every part of my head: "I'd sooner join the Volturi than watch that mysterious boy become my parents' obsession."

"Ugh," I groaned, "what's wrong with me?" I started to panic, "Can you believe it, Edward? She said she'd prefer to join the Volturi than welcome someone new to our family! What was I supposed to do, just let some innocent soul die after I had found him? I wonder if Carlisle took this much flak for saving you all?"

"Bella," Edward warned in his gentle manner, "you needn't be so hard on yourself. She didn't specifically say that she would _prefer _to join the Volturi. Nessie still has a lot to learn. In time, I'm sure she'll warm up to the boy."

Edward twitched his lip. He was preaching something that he could not readily admit to. He too wasn't very fond of the child at the moment, and I knew that very well. He still thought this "immortalizing a dying person" gig belonged to Carlisle and Esme. Yet, it did not feel wrong, so I must've been doing something right.

My thoughts turned back to Nessie, "Where do you think she's run off to?"

I searched his eyes, hoping to find a small ray of hope. None was offered, though.

"Let's go ask Alice," Edward suggested, "although I have a feeling that Renesmee has run home and locked herself in her bedroom like she always does when she's upset."

"She's never been this aggravated about anything before," I interjected.

"Exactly, which is why I suggest we go see Alice about this."

So we hurried back to the Cullens in attempt to track down our daughter.

"But Edward," I touched my hand to his face, "what if she runs off to find Jacob? Then Alice won't be able to see anything is Nessie's future. Do you think she will ask Jake to run away with her?"

Edward took of lock of my hair in his hand. He moved closer and kissed my trembling lips for a long minute. I sincerely wished that everything could have been as perfect as that moment. I reuluctantly forced myself to pull away from him.

I thought that becoming a vampire would make life a little easier. You know, without the rough patches. Obviously, I was mistaken.

We entered the house again. Edward went to get Alice while I strolled into the living room. Emmett sat watching ESPN sports news.

He caught me eyeing him, "What's wrong, Bella?"

"It's Nessie. She's run off and has us all worried now."

Emmett's eyes were glued to the TV screen, "Oh," he absentmindedly replied, "well, there's only one solution to your problem."

"Talk to Alice?" I guessed.

He shook his head and bellowed out a laugh, "No, of course not! I was going to say that you should've never gotten pregnant in the first place."

I scowled. I walked over to him and tapped his shoulder, "You're going to pay for that remark."

Emmett scoffed, "You want to duel it out?" I smirked, "Here's the deal: I get to punch you, and if it doesn't cause you any amount of pain, then you get to hit me with your best shot, got it?"

He flexed his arm muscles, "I'd like to see you try, doll."

I rolled my eyes.

It felt so exhilarating to let out all my anger and frustration in that one blow.

Emmett bit his lip, "Okay," he sounded disheartened, "fine. It hurt a little." I patted him on the back and stifled a laugh.

Soon after, Edward entered the room. He shook his head at Emmett's childish pout.

"Bella, Alice isn't anywhere near here," Edward explained, "She and Jasper went on a hunting trip and they haven't returned as yet. We should go home and check for Renesmee. If she's not there, then we'll see if she's with Jacob."

"Okay," I hurried him out the door, "let's get go."

I stared at the muddy hem of my jeans. Renesmee's haunting words still rang through my ears: "'I'd sooner join the Volturi…" What was the point of doing good if you were going to go through hell for it?

"Maybe I should just kill the boy instead," I wondered to myself. My eyes widened. I could barely believe that idea had even occurred to me. What on earth was going on? I moved closer to Edward, hoping he could protect me from the one thing that was beginning to scare me: myself.


	4. Waking Up in Hell

When we reached home, I found that Edward's prediction had been correct. Renesmee had locked herself in her room and was sprawled across her bed.

She turned up the music on her IPod when she heard us walk in.

I knocked on her closed door, "Nessie…sweetheart, may I come in?"

I knew she heard me but was purposefully avoiding my plea.

I turned to Edward, who was watching me from behind, and shook my head in defeat.

I pointed to the door in silence. He knew what I was referring to.

I picked up a magazine and absentmindedly flipped through the pages until he returned with Jake.

Edward explained the scenario to him beforehand.

I stood to give Jake a quick hug, "You need to convince her that everything will work out for the best, Jake."

He pondered something for a moment, "Bella, I—"

"Jake," I insisted, "please, do this for me. Edward and I know what we're up to. Please help us persuade her. She always listens to what you say."

Jake nodded, trying to hide his reluctance, "Alright, but no more favors like this, okay?"

"Okay," I agreed hastily, "whatever you say, Jake."

Jake asked Renesmee if he could come in and see her; obviously, hre answer was yes, even though she didn't respond too quickly.

Edward and I waited out in the living room. We were listening to every word of Nessie and Jake's conversation.

After a few minutes of heated discussion with Jake, Nessie sighed and went along with Jake's advice.

She unlocked the door and stepped out into the hallway.

A slight smile spread across her rounded face, "Mom, I'm so sorry. I treated you so unfairly. I understand that you're just trying to do the right thing and you're not intending to harm anyone."

I rushed over to give my beautiful daughter a loving squeeze.

Jake put his arm around Nessie's waist. Edward tried not to growl.

Nessie let go of me, "Go on, mom. Stay by his side until he wakes up. I don't mind in the least."

I touched my hand to her dimpled cheek and gazed at her affectionately, "Thank you, angel. I promise that I will come back soon."

Edward kissed me softly before I walked out the house, "I'll stay here and keep an eye on the two."

I rolled my eyes and chuckled, "No problem, Edward, but please don't go poking around everything that they're doing."

"Absolutely not," He reassured me, "That will only happen if I catch Jacob thinking something vile."

I closed my eyes and shook my head, "You know he'll do no such thing…well, not while you're there, at least."

With everyone comfortable at home, I ran off to be with my new son. A day had already gone by. There were only a couple more days to go before I would finally know his name.

_Two Days Later…_

I sat in Carlisle's study for the second day in a row with a Jane Austen novel in my hand.

If my venom was travelling fast enough in his body, then today would be the first day of the boy's immortal life.

Reading preoccupied my time when I wasn't watching over the child.

I faintly remembered how difficult it was to bear the pain of venom burning through my veins.

I wanted the boy to be as comfortable as possible.

His quaking lessened with each passing hour, so that was a calming thought.

Maternal instinct made me want to fight away the pain for him, but I knew that such a desire was impossible to attain.

While immersed in the book, I heard the boy grunt lowly.

I placed my book down on a nearby coffee table and knelt down at his side. I stroked back his ruffled blonde curls, carefully touching my finger to his cheek.

It was no longer warm and pink. Now it was cold, stiff, and pale. He was like a beautiful, lifeless boy carved from stone.

Carlisle quietly slid into the room to check up on us. He stooped onto his knees next to me and examined the boy.

"When will he wake up, Carlisle?" I questioned without removing my gaze from the boy.

"I would imagine that he'll beginning waking up in just a few minutes. I heard his groaning. It's a sign that the venom is attacking his heart now." I pursed my lips in a hard line.

I didn't want to think about the terrible pain he was in, because that just brought me pain.

I waited and watched impatiently for what seemed like eternity, though in actuality is was only an hour.

Finally, without warning, the boy's eyes fluttered open.

He sat up, immediately becoming defensive.

His blood-red eyes were wide with fear as he stared at Carlisle and I.

I smiled sweetly at him, hoping to suppress his fear.

The boy was utterly confused, "How did I get here?" He shouted, "Why is my memory so fuzzy? Who are you people?"

His voiced dripped with a heavy British accent. I suspected that he came from Europe.

In midst of the commotion, I struggled to find my voice, so Carlisle answered the questions on my behalf, "My name is Dr. Carlisle Cullen. This is my daughter-in-law, Bella Cullen. What's your name?"

The boy's lips trembled, "Adrian," He huffed out in his mellifluous tone of voice, "My name is Adrian Phelps. Dr. Carlisle, where are my parents? What am I doing here in what appears to be your home?"

Carlisle glanced at Bella briefly, then back at Adrian, "Sit down, son, since what I am about to tell you will not be easy for you to hear."

Carlisle explained how I had found him lying a few feet away from his mauled parents in the woods. Carlisle also told him how I brought him here so that he could be saved in time. Then the hardest part of the conversation came all too soon. Carlisle told him that the only way to save him was to make him one of us: an immortal vampire.

"Adrian," Carlisle began, "Bella found you and changed you into an immortal because she deeply cares about you. She wanted you to have a life you would have otherwise lost. I know losing both your parents is tough, Adrian, but Bella is ready and willing to become your new mother, and her husband, my son Edward, considers it a privilege to become your new father."

Adrian eyed me with a wary glare.

I decided to speak up before something went entirely wrong, "Yes, Adrian. I couldn't let you die at your young age."

A question popped into my mind, "How old are you anyways, sweetie?"

"16."

"Ah," I thought to myself, "so he is exactly Renesmee's 'age.'"

"But," Adrian apprehensively interjected, "aren't vampires bloodsucking demons? Why didn't you just finish me off instead?"

I told him that we followed a different lifestyle than orthodox vampires, "We call ourselves 'vegetarians,' since we are not the average vamps."

Adrian still maintained his "deer-in-the-headlights" look, as if he was next in line on death row.

"Maybe we should let you meet the rest of our family, Adrian," I suggested, "Does that sound like an appropriate plan?"

"There are MORE of you?" He asked, shocked.

"Yes," Carlisle answered with a warm smile, "we are a sizeable clan."

I stretched out my hand to help him, even though he didn't need help to stand.

I was so eager to know him better. I wanted to spend some time with him and introduce him to Edward.

I was still unsure how I'd introduce him to Renesmee. I made a mental note to talk with Carlisle about that later.

Carlisle led the way. Adrian shuffled along behind me.

I gracefully walked down into the foyer, but I soon noticed that a recognizable scent penetrated the air around us.

Carlisle picked up on it, as well. He was evidently surprised and a little irritated.

I impulsively threw my arm out in front of Adrian.

I gawked at Edward, who stood in an adjoining hallway. He was mentally apologizing to me over and over again. Why? Well…guess who was being shielded in his arms?


End file.
